Microbiome manipulation decelerates osteoarthritis progression

Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week

09-29-17

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- The gastrointestinal microbiome is currently a hot topic of research concerning serious diseases affecting large portions of the world's population. It has been implicated in a variety of conditions such as asthma, obesity, and now osteoarthritis (OA). Recent work presented at the Orthopaedic Research Society 2017 Annual Meeting by Eric Schott, Robert Mooney, Steve Gill, Michael Zuscik and colleagues at the Center for Musculoskeletal Research at the University of Rochester Medical Center have shown that prebiotic manipulation of the gut microbiome may lead to decelerated progression of OA. The work utilized a mouse model of high fat diet-induced obesity along with an injury to the medial meniscus to initiate degeneration in the knee. Specifically, mice that were fed a high fat diet along with the prebiotic supplement, oligofructose, demonstrated reduced systemic inflammation and decelerated cartilage degeneration after meniscal injury (see also Orthopaedic Research Society).

Prebiotic supplements are intended to nourish and support particular bacterial strains present in the gut. This is in contrast to probiotic supplements, often found and discussed in yogurt, which attempt to confer specific bacterial cultures directly to the gut. In the experiment reported by Schott et al, it is believed that an increased abundance of microbes from the genus Bifidobacterium, resulting from prebiotic supplementation, may be responsible for the reduction in systemic inflammation and deceleration of OA symptoms.

A link between altered gut microbiome and systemic inflammation in obesity has previously been established; however, the mechanisms by which the gut microbiome affect joint health are still largely unknown. Schott speculates that either the increased numbers of Bifidobacteria are crowding out other inflammation-inducing strains, or that these Bifidobacteria are producing a metabolic byproduct(s) that has positive effects on the host, including supporting healthy joints. Answers to these questions may provide the first evidence connecting the gut microbiome to joint health.

Future work in the Zuscik lab will further investigate the gut microbiome in OA, without obesity as a comorbid factor. They hope to determine if OA patients have an altered gut microbiome compared to healthy individuals. If the microbiome is altered in OA, perhaps correction of the abnormalities will protect against or even reverse OA symptoms. Additional clarification of the gut-joint connection may lead to novel therapeutic strategies involving the manipulation of the intestinal microbial community to treat or prevent OA. Results from this work may help to address a clinical problem of enormous scope for which no effective disease-modifying therapy has been established.

Eric Schott is a member of the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS). ORS strives to advance musculoskeletal research worldwide.

Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world. Copyright 2017, NewsRx LLC

Articles featured in Life Extension Daily News are derived from a variety of news
sources and are provided as a service by Life Extension. These articles, while of
potential interest to readers of Life Extension Daily News, do not necessarily represent
the opinions nor constitute the advice of Life Extension.

Additional Information

This supplement should be taken in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise program. Individual results are not guaranteed and results may vary.

**This offer good one time only. Shipping fees, Life Extension Magazine® subscriptions, CHOICE and Premier program fees, and purchases made with LE Dollars or gift cards do not count toward your order total. Your purchase must total $100 or more in a single order for the $10 discount to apply. Standard shipping and handling (regularly $5.50) in the U.S., includes Alaska and Hawaii.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.

Product Guarantee

If you are not 100% satisfied with any purchase made directly from Life Extension®, just return your purchase within 12 months of original purchase date and we will either replace the product for you, credit your original payment method or credit your Life Extension account for the full amount of the original purchase price (less shipping and handling).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.